The parliament approved a proposal to eliminate the CHF 300.- duty free limit on goods from abroad. This in order to support local businesses. Every year the Swiss spend 10 billion francs buying goods in either France or Germany as they are so much cheaper than in Switzerland. Soon they will have to pay the VAT when importing these goods, but as VAT is so low in Switzerland it probably won’t be a real deterrent for “shopping tourists”.
The Wallis will be producing a third less wine this year. Instead of the usual 45 million liters it will only be 30 million. This is due to the frost which hit the country in May as well as the very wet summer which encouraged a type of mushroom which attacks the grapes.
The two wolves from Graubünden who were slated to be shot have had a reprieve after the department of agriculture decided that the conditions for “neutralising” them had not been fulfilled. A minimum of ten animals from one herd have to have been slaughtered by a wolf before it is deemed too dangerous.
Meanwhile in Muothatal a hunter shot a lama by mistake. Lamas are used as deterrent for wolves and four lamas had been guarding a herd of sheep when one was shot. The hunter probably thought it was a very furry deer. His hunting licence has been taken away.
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